Avalanches kill 2 at Canadian ski area

WHISTLER, British Columbia 
A skier and a snowboarder were killed in separate avalanches at Canada's Whistler resort, police said Thursday, just days after eight snowmobiliers died elsewhere in British Columbia.

Police said the latest fatality occurred Thursday when a 26-year-old man on a snowboard was swept away on Whistler mountain. A day earlier, a 37-year-old skier was killed on Blackcomb Mountain, also part of the ski area.

In both cases, police said the men were in areas that were marked off-limits. Whistler will be the site of the alpine events in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

On Sunday, eight snowmobilers died in back-to-back avalanches near Fernie, British Columbia. Three others in their group survived.

There are currently avalanche warnings in affect for much of southern British Columbia, including both Whistler and Fernie.

Whistler's mayor, Ken Melamed, said avalanches are common but said this season is particularly dangerous.

"The particular conditions we have at the moment are not your normal coastal snowpack. It might be taking some of the skiers by surprise," Melamed said.